


Stars

by hedakomskaikru



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-09-02 01:01:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16776493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hedakomskaikru/pseuds/hedakomskaikru
Summary: Nicole Haught is a famous actress, well on her way to paving her to Hollywood history. Waverly Earp is a very private, and almost mostly unknown author because she keeps all her work on fiction under a penname.And they happen to be each other's biggest fans.





	1. Whole Hearts

"Just one day!"

Randy Nedley had his perpetual frown on, and to anyone else he would have looked intimidating, but he was Nicole's manager for the longest time and the closest thing to a father she'll ever have. He had a soft spot for her.

Randy kept his brows furrowed. "I don't mind giving you a day off, Haught, god knows you need it." He turned his back on her and continued making omelettes for the both of them. Their go-to breakfast. "But the writer's very private and you popping up there might outshine her own event. We'd have to hire additional security, and time you going in for the signing-"

"So what you're saying is you already have everything planned?" Nicole asked, while approaching Randy, leaning towards him with a big smile on her face.

Randy grunted with an eye roll. Nicole could only laugh and make a tiny fist pump. "I KNEW you'd pull through for me." She swung off the counter, moving to set the table. "Just let me fangirl for a day-"

"An hour at most."

"-about one of the biggest authors this year-"

"Debatable."

"-and who I might have the tiniest crush on."

Randy's head spun so fast, Nicole was worried he'd injured himself. "We're not hiring additional security so you can flirt with a writer."

Nicole only winked at him, finishing up the table. Oh yes, she thought. Yes, they were.

* * *

Wynonna liked to believe she was known as one of the most badass people around. She drank too much, wore leather 24/7 and drove a motorcycle everywhere. But she was soft for one person, and one person only.

"I hate going to these things!"

Wynonna gave her sister's head a little rub before her hand returned to the TV remote, continuing her search for a decent show. "Then don't go."

"But my manager says it'd be good for sales."

"So, go."

"But I have a lot of anxiety about it, and I immediately regret all the things I've shared with people who go."

Wynonna paused as she chanced upon a channel with explosions, popped a kernel into her mouth while she considered. "Just call them fans." She frowned when she realized it was an all male case, except for the victims, so she changed channels again. "And you don't have to go."

"But sales?"

"So, go."

Waverly huffed, turning her head from her sister towards the TV screen, calming a little bit because Wynonna actually settled on a documentary about whales. She turned her head again to look at her sister. "You're not helping."

Wynonna shrugged, finally putting the remote to rest, since she decided on a channel her sister liked. Her hand returned to running through Waverly's hair, knowing it calmed her when she did. "Way I see it, you're already incredible, and you've already given them a big part of you through the books." She popped another kernel to her mouth, watching a whale swim around while the narrator talked statistics. "The signing's just a plus. For them."

Waverly significantly relaxed at Wynonna's words, and she sat up to cuddle to her older sister. "You mean that?"

Wynonna hummed her agreement, but added, "Mercedes'll kill you, though, if you don't show up."

The mention of her hardass manager who got her the biggest deals and actually helped her pave the way to make her most recent work on fiction be one of the top selling books had Waverly groaning. "I thought we were getting to the conclusion that I don't have to go-"

"Uh-uh. I'm just saying you've given enough of yourself." Wynonna rolled her eyes when her dramatic sister groaned again, but she rubbed her back comfortingly because that's what big sister's do. "Hey. I'll be there-"

Waverly shot up so fast she hit Wynonna's jaw. Waverly ignored Wynonna's yelp of pain. "Really?"

Wynonna made a face. "Not with a bruise, I'm not. I'm the one who gives out bruises, baby girl, sexually or otherwise."

Waverly mimed retching. "Gross."

"And I will be. I'll hang around with or without the permission of your manager. And I'll be clapping the loudest."

"There won't be any clap appropriate moments."

"I'll clap anyway!" Wynonna pulled her sister back to her so they were cuddling. "Biggest fan and all."

"You're the best, Wy."

Wynonna hummed her agreement. "That's what he said."

"Wynonna!"

* * *

"Ten minutes?" Randy kept quiet while Nicole stared down her security team. "I don't hire an entire security team for a chance to meet one of my favorite authors for a measly toilet break."

"That's actually only 5-"

"Shut up, Lonnie." Xavier Dolls sighed. "It's the best we can do, Miss Haught-"

"Really? All you have to do is guard exits-"

"We also want the environment around Miss Earp to remain calm. It's more than likely that your set of supporters overlap with Miss Earp's. We are also to keep track of their whereabouts and activities."

"How hard can that be? She's private, she'll probably have like… 150 people there-"

"She is private, Miss Haught. And I beg your pardon-" His eyes flickered towards Randy, and they shared a look. "But having you there will significantly make it less private. You already have paparazzi camping outside of your house."

"You seem awfully protective of her."

Dolls showed no indication of having heard that statement. "I would still advise that you don't push through with this. It might be more trouble than its worth."

Nicole clenched her jaw, frustrated before rolling her eyes. "Fine." She looked back at Randy. "What's the next item on our agenda?"

* * *

Randy shook his head while rubbing his temples, on the way to Nicole's room after Nicole had once again stood up after a meal without any word to him. She'd been doing that for five days now, and the closer to Waverly Earp's book signing, the noisier Nicole's exits.

"I swear sometimes I'm still dealing with a teenager," he mumbled to himself, making the corner so he could check on her before he left. He'd only had dinner with her to check on her twice, and they had been dramatic. This lunch was a the third time.

He guessed growing up under the spotlight gave people a certain quality. But he knew Nicole Haught was already one of the best of them.

"Nicole." He knocked at her door, already preparing a speech, because he may be a good manager, but he wasn't very good at fatherly speeches. "Listen we gotta talk about this. Sulking isn't helping either of us."

He shook his head, knocking again. "Nicole." Silence. He shook his head again, before turning away, muttering about teenagers and their weird antics.

* * *

"I swear to all that is holy, Nicole Haught, if you find yourself in a compromising position while you are inside, and you perchance find it more convenient to leave me here to myself-"

"Don't be weird, Doc. I’m coming back. I just _really_ wanna meet her." Nicole perused the outside of the venue, a little jealous that there weren't any paparazzi outside. "I did suggest you bring Wyatt along."

"No, you did not. In fact, you discouraged it. Something about clothes somehow always flying."

Nicole looked back at her partner in crime, lips pursed in disgust. "I did say that, didn't I? I'm not wrong. You'll just have to stay here and wait for me to come out-"

"Darling, you were always "out"," he interrupted, complete with air quotes.

Nicole dropped her hands that had been gesturing. "Was that a joke?"

"I do not know of what you are speaking."

"Har har." She put on the baseball cap she'd randomly picked up from Doc's place. "How do I look?"

"Like a proper fugitive."

Nicole grinned at him. "This is why I love you. All right, wish me luck."

Doc watched her exit the car, already settling in the car seat. He'd never see Nicole so adamant about meeting someone before, although she had mentioned having a "tiny" crush on the writer. Then again, Doc had never heard Nicole Haught go through anything with half a heart. If she really felt strongly about this writer, she'd go to lengths. Like this one.

* * *

Waverly walked between the shelves of the bookstore she chose for the event. It was a relatively small place, but the owner had made it with up and coming authors in mind. She wanted to provide a place for new writers who were just starting out, and wanted to hold small events like what she was holding. Waverly even had her very first book signing here.

"Done hiding?"

Waverly spun, a hand coming up to her chest. "Jesus, Lexa."

Lexa smiled slightly at one of her oldest friends. She'd been there when Waverly was still a bookworm, the ideas of becoming a writer just a little bit out of reach. Now her name was in the top selling authors, and she still refused to be in the spotlight, hence Lexa's bookshop being chosen as the venue for the event.

"I don’t have space here for all your fans, you know. If you keep taking bathroom breaks, people are gonna stack up. And they'll think you have diarrhea."

Waverly dropped her hands, fiddling with her fingers. "It's just still a little surreal."

"That you're all famous now?"

Waverly made a face at her. "Stop."

Lexa grinned. "You are. You should just bask in it. Go to parties-"

"Oh, because you're a party-goer."

"Hey, I went to parties."

"Because your wife did, and you're a territorial little shit ticket."

"You will be, too." Lexa wagged a finger at her. "I've seen you with your last ex, and he wasn't anything special-"

"Ok, we have to stop insulting my exes-"

"-so when you _do_ fall in love… You'll be the jealous type. I have money on it."

Waverly laughed stepping forward and leaning towards Lexa when the taller girl wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I don't know why-" She paused. "Hang on. You don't _really_ have money on it, right?"

"We should go back to your signing."

"Lexa." Waverly rolled her eyes, but she laughed again, comfortable around one of her closest and oldest friends.

"Let's get you back." Lexa made a whole thing about removing the arm she'd slung around Waverly's shoulders as she did, which only made Waverly laugh again.

"It was a tiny rumor!"

"We were page 3 of a tabloid. Rumor enough." Lexa shook her head, purposefully overdramatic. "And I love you, Earp, but…" She looked up slowly, brows furrowed. "You don't deserve me."

"What the ef-" Waverly made a tiny tackle, wrapping her arms around Lexa, making Lexa laugh with her.

They were still giggling when they arrived at the table, and Lexa gave her a last shoulder pat before murmuring a good luck. Waverly sighed, glad she still held these events at Lexa's place. She looked down at her table, taking a seat, and then looked up at the next person in line.

"Hi! How…"

She was met with dimples framing something that was between a smile and a grimace, and fiery red hair mostly hidden by a beanie. And the only thing Waverly could think was _Oh. I know that smile_.

_I have a poster of it at home._


	2. Signed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone's gay and overdramatic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who read the first chapter, and to everyone who commented, so I actually have motivation to write this second one. Anyway, I'm excited for where my brain takes us. As always, suggestions are welcome!
> 
> I still don't have a beta. So please excuse the mistakes.

Waverly Earp believed in serendipity.

She believed that the reason she was assigned that one professor, one of the worst ones in her college at the time, was so she could flunk the only subject she ever did in her entire life, get delayed a year (she might have cried about it for a week) and eventually be assigned to the very newly hired Professor Marstein, a lesbian up and coming editor who only settled in Purgatory because she fell in love with one of the locals.

They were both an hour's drive, or a two-hour commute away from the nearest university, and had therefore paved the way for Waverly to sit for hours in the same bus as her writing professor that one semester. The writing professor, actually editor by vocation, who had eventually ended up sitting beside Waverly on a rare day when the bus was brimming with passengers and to whom Waverly had somehow blurted out she was writing a book.

The rest was history.

Well, not quite. It was a lot of mentoring sessions, both about being a writer and about life in general, and a lot of constant guidance in Waverly's young career. Waverly still had Professor Marstein (she never did quite learn to drop the title) as her editor, and would still receive advise from the older woman once in a while outside of their working relationship.

Waverly thought of Professor Marstein then, not because she was Waverly's editor, but because one of her unsolicited advise had been thrown at Waverly when she caught Waverly not paying attention to her comments about one of her characters, because young Waverly was staring at a former classmate who had left Purgatory after high school graduation and was coming back after a modeling gig.

Waverly had just barely managed to tamper down on the blush that had come up to her cheeks when Katherine Cummings had caught her eye and waved at her when Elizabeth Marstein had elbowed her so hard and told her looking never got anyone a woman.

Waverly caught Kate's smile widening, a wink thrown at her for good measure, before she turned to her mentor with a scowl.

She's has had one and a half relationships with women since then.

"…Miss Earp?"

Waverly blinked out of the memory, her eyes once again refocusing on those dimples, knowing she was for sure blushing now. She swallowed as she turned towards the person in front of her, away from the barely concealed red head 7 places behind him.

"I- I'm sorry. I was just…" She shook herself, offering her smile with apologetic eyes. "Did you say this was your favorite book?" Waverly felt her heart warm when he brightened at her question, glad that she caught the tail end of his nervous stuttering.

"Yeah! It… it- it gave me the courage to ask my girlfriend out. She was actually also reading your work and, well, it was our common ground for our first date. It was pretty cool."

"That's awesome! How long have you been together now?"

She easily slipped into her role of welcoming people, engaging them in shared conversations about her books, but mostly encouraging them to talk to her about snippets of their lives. She loved learning about the people who were drawn to her own books. She believed that the kind of books she wrote also bred the kind of people she wanted to surround herself with, and most of the time she was right.

She signed her name with one of her favorite quotes from the book, but apologized about not allowing a photo. She knew it was futile to keep photos of her out of the scope of the media by now, but she was still trying to work to keep the anonymity she started this industry with. She waved over the next person, and noticed Lexa dropping the blinds on a window with someone holding up a camera. She gave herself a second to sigh before offering her largest smile to the one next in line.

* * *

Nicole made a face when she had to drop her manager's ninth call. She really shouldn't have left that note ( _I swear I'll behave_ with a badly drawn emoji with a halo), but he was her manager, and she had to tell him where she was. Even if it was through a note. A note she'd purposefully stuck one of the apples on her fruit tray that she knew he never looked at but always passed by so she could at least tell him with confidence later that she _did_ in fact tell him where she went without guilt.

Maybe only just a little bit of guilt. It's really not her fault he doesn't eat fruits.

She kept her back towards the floor to ceiling windows of the bookshop, hoping to show nothing to the 2 paparazzi she'd already seen lurking by the parked cars out front. It had taken them 12 minutes, which meant someone probably saw her on the way, probably through Doc's not tinted windows because he didn't believe in them. She bit her lip nervously, as the number of people between her and Waverly dwindled, praying the paparazzi remained respectful (there were a handful of them who were) until after all this.

She fidgeted with the book she'd brought, a little frayed around the edges, and not one of the featured fictional ones strategically placed on the table so people would buy them. It was one of the three nonfiction books Waverly Earp had published, written while she was travelling to India, about self-discovery and her struggle with anxiety. It wasn't as popular as the fictional ones, but definitely the one Nicole had read the most because of how it had also helped her deal with her own anxiety while she was starting off in the business.

She liked to believe it helped her while she was just starting out, working as a waitress and believing she'd never be hired as more than a side-character in one of 24 episodes of a popular TV show.

She had several movies under her belt now, nominated for several awards, an one of the youngest to get an Oscar. Luck, she thought, mixed with privilege. But she also like to believe there was some skill contributing to her success, and the self-confidence she learned to build from her experiences and from reading the book in her hand.

She caught herself smiling when she heard Waverly Earp's laugh, and she looked up just in time to see her squeeze a Latina's hand before ducking her head to write something down on the book in front of her. Nicole was surprised at the twinge of _something_ in her chest at the contact.

_Wow, calm down. You're not even friends, yet._

* * *

"Hey, babe." Clarke was met with a flimsy kiss, which made her pout a little bit. "Well, that was shit."

Lexa grinned at that, looking away from watching the paparazzi who had been trying to get a shot of Nicole Haught, who had come in a hoodie and a beanie as if that would hide those dimples from the vultures. "Always so thirsty, Griffin."

"Woods," she corrected. "And why are you more interested in that man outside, when you have me. I'm offended."

Like a well-oiled machine, the two of them maneuvered themselves around each other inside the tiny space available for the person manning the cash register, who was currently Lexa. She now had her wife wrapped around her, also looking out at the couple of guys outside, and the one woman who was trying to get inside by bribing the security guard Lexa had to hire to at least keep the front door of her bookshop from trespassers.

"How dare you."

Clarke laughed, placing another short kiss to her cheek. "Ok, let me out."

"YOU squeezed yourself in. Why do I have to be the one to adjust-"

"Always so difficult."

"Only for you, love."

"Is this how you got me? Unsuccessful flirting?"

"I also fumbled through our first date. It showed how hopeless I was for you, so early-"

Clarke was about to laugh aloud again, when Lex was suddenly jumping over the counter, no doubt flexing the abs underneath that tight white blouse. Clarke hummed as she settled behind the counter, propping her chin up as she watched her wife confront one of the men who managed to slip past security.

Lexa was still so overdramatic.

* * *

Randy Nedley found the note purely coincidentally, and only because of his one ally in Nicole Haught's entire household.

He was unsuccessfully knocking at Nicole's door for the third time to check on her again after the conversation they had with their security team. Nicole sulked, but definitely not that long. He was about to knock a fourth time when he saw Calamity Jane exit the house through his cat flap, a sticky note stuck to her paw.

The little shit really snuck off on him.

Randy Nedley fully believed that being a manager to Nicole was easier than his parental duties to her.

He shook his head as he glanced down at his phone, the first few photos of Nicole inside a car beside her friend Henry Holliday parked outside the venue of the book signing. It was sent to him by none other than Mercedes Gardner, warning him off of letting Nicole Haught be seen with her client.

Something about Mercedes Gardner having a 5 year plan for Waverly Earp, which did not include encouraging speculation around Earp's sexuality after being possibly photographed with Nicole Haught, an openly out lesbian. Waverly Earp's sexuality was something that a lot of people were already speculating at after an overzealous fan had scrolled too far back on Waverly Earp's instagram feed before she could change her settings to private.

Randy Nedley gave himself props for not spitting off a curse at the dig against Nicole.

He just needed to get Nicole up and out of there, lest Mercedes Gardner find a reason to keep nagging at him without reason.

* * *

There were now about half a dozen more people outside the bookshop by now and Wynonna was half-way about to just take her baby sister away from all their prying eyes. But she promised only presence and clap duty, and she'd already done both. She was just waiting for the event to be done with so she can steal that one bottle of champagne she knew the nerdy Woods couple had prepared for the end of the day.

Waverly and she could share that bottle away from all these people. She'd already seen Waverly's smiles become more forced at the worsening commotion outside. Wynonna was going to wait until after this young girl.

Waverly will just have to send the redhead and the two others sorry postcards for the trouble. Maybe free books. She'd pay for them herself.

She was up and off her chair when suddenly three more guys and a woman had aggressively pushed their way through security, causing a small commotion by the door, not far away from the line of fans Waverly had.

She should talk to Lexa about her shitty security later.

* * *

She didn't know what possessed her to do what she did.

While Nicole Haught prided herself in picking certain moments in her life which she had no doubt seized and made her own, she also liked to think she was a very logical adult who thought her decisions through.

This one decision, though, she was sure stemmed not from her brain.

"-driving away with the star of the book signing!"

Nicole shook herself from her thoughts, once again focusing on her friend, eyes shifting towards the one and only Waverly Earp whose face she couldn't see, because the brunette was facing the bookshop they'd just ran hand in hand from.

"I can not believe I let you convince me to forcibly take your writer beau off the premises!"

Nicole turned as red as her hair, opened her mouth to fix at least 2% of the list of problems she'd just made for herself by grabbing the hand of Waverly Earp to run away with her--she still didn't know what she had hoped to accomplish by doing so--when Waverly spoke for the first time.

"I went quite willingly." Waverly turned back towards Nicole then, looking slightly lightheaded, disbelief clear in her face. "I think."

Doc scoffed. "That is very questionable consent."

"Doc!" Nicole interjected. "Shut up and just- just drive!"

"And where to, pray tell?"

Nicole opened her mouth to respond, but stopped, not having fully thought of a response to the question. And she also didn't think through the decision to look to her side, meet the eyes of her non-captive, who was biting her bottom lip in thought.

_She should really stop doing that for all of our sakes-_

_FOCUS, NICOLE._

And she did. Except on something else entirely.

She watched Waverly Earp's eyes flicker downwards between them for a split second, then lock with hers again. Nicole Haught found herself slowly looking down between them, too.

At their intertwined hands, both gripping quite tightly to the other's.

Why _did_ Waverly Earp give her hand willingly when Nicole Haught offered hers with a murmured "Come on, let's go!"?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok idk where i'm going with this. I'll include the suggestions (a lot of flirting suggestions) in the next few chapters.
> 
> Thank youuu!


	3. Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the "kidnapping"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been sick thrice this week, so this is later than I planned. I still feel a little lightheaded, so I hope this isn't as bad as I think it is. T^T Sorry, loves.

Mercedes Gardner prided herself as an efficient, levelheaded individual who was especially adept at handling crisis situations due to the fact that she had to handle two problematic younger siblings who were always out to squander the family fortune after their parents have died. She had her life together. She had invested most of her time the past few years on taking care of a third person, a rising star in writing. She was proud of the fact that one of the said writer's books was actually in the hands of a screenwriter, and negotiations for a film adaptation were in the works. She was going to be richly stable--stable-ly rich?--in the next few years or so if the movie was as popular as the books.

It was moments like this, however few and far in between, when she liked her job a lot less.

"I'm very sorry for the inconvenience, Miss Scott. We will be reaching out to you with a full set of Miss Waverly Earp's most recently released trilogy, signed with personal messages from Miss Earp herself. We did not anticipate the trespassers to the event, small as it was."

Mercedes smiled politely at the young woman in front of her, obviously disappointed at the turn of events, but also very understanding. Waverly Earp had created a growing niche of supporters who were mostly very respectful of her privacy, and Mercedes, while already one of the more cynical parts of Waverly Earp's team, still believed that it was more likely to find a kind Earper than an unkind one.

She shook the hand of the fan, before placing both hands on the small of piece of paper that they handed out to the last handful of people who were supposedly in line to meet their idol. She thumbed over the small ridges at the back of the paper from the handwriting, and kept the smile on her face until the last fan had exited the small bookstore.

She turned sharply at the ring of the bell that signified the departure, and stared at Randy Nedley, manager to the reason why there were any paparazzi who had come in to the small private event in the first place.

"I have a young and very impressionable client. If Haught so much as touches her-"

Randy watched the woman hiss at him, sighing internally. He loved Nicole Haught like a daughter but sometimes- "We'll discuss terms when we find them, Miss Gardner. We'll hear from her sister soon-"

"Already found them," Clarke interjected, obviously having just gotten off her phone. "Not far from here. Lexa says it seems they just wanted to get away from the paparazzi." She raised both hands at Mercedes, who looked to be gearing up for a fight. "Unharmed. They'll be back in a bit."

* * *

Nicole sat on the hood of Doc's car, watching the owner light his third cigarette, no doubt stressed out of his mind for being an accessory to a maybe kidnapping. But they all agreed stopping at an tight alley was better than finding a busy street, lest they find themselves surrounded again. Wynonna and Lexa were on the way.

Pulling off the beanie she put on for the third time, then replacing it over her head, she adjusted so she was sitting beside her unlikely companion. She watched dainty fingers fidget with one of the bracelets on Waverly's left hand.

"Sorry again-"

"I really shouldn't have-"

They both broke off, shifting awkwardly.

"Sorry, I-"

"You go first-"

They were a split second from another awkward pause, when they heard, "You should toss a coin and spare us this excruciating dance."

Waverly's head snapped towards Doc, while Nicole closed her eyes, sighing. They waited for Doc to take another deep hit from his current cigarette, then walking away from them before they attempted conversation again. Nicole took one big breath, preparing to talk again, but she felt a cool hand settle over her own.

"Thank you."

Nicole's eyes snapped open in surprise, but Waverly didn't let that dissuade her.

"It was um… unorthodox." Waverly shrugged her shoulders, the corners of her lips lifting in an almost smile. "But you did get me away. It was the first time they were that… aggressive."

Nicole shook her head, unthinkingly flipping her hand to return the pressure. "Yeah, no, I-" She lifted a hand as if to remove the beanie off her head again, but she dropped it in between them instead. "It was my fault. I thought we were already careful. I've had a tail for a while. I thought we could lose them for a few hours."

Waverly knew why. Nicole Haught was at the peak of her career, one of those film streaks some actors have, hired blockbuster movie after movie. It started as a supporting role, but she quickly drew the attention of producers. Waverly was sure that for a couple of those movies, Nicole Haught was hired just because it was her.

But Waverly wasn't going to reveal how she'd watched all those movies on their release dates, and how she consumed media taken by the said paparazzi. They were everywhere. No one could blame her.

So Waverly was the one shaking her head now. "It wasn't your fault-"

"I just really wanted to meet you."

Waverly looked up at the same time Nicole pulled her hand away, choosing to prop herself up by her hands behind her, leaning a little bit back on the car. She didn't know that it was just a little bit distracting for Waverly that she'd stretched up like that, exposing her neck, making the shirt she was wearing ripple over her stomach. Nicole was too busy not having all the game she usually had to notice Waverly actually swallow. But she did keep those brown eyes on Waverly.

"What?"

Those damned dimples blinked up at Waverly again. "Come on. You're one of the most popular writers right now. I just wanted a couple of minutes to meet you." Nicole lifted a shoulder in a lazy half shrug. "Maybe haggle a few spoilers."

"Oh."

Nicole's smile widened. "That wasn't a no."

Waverly opened her mouth to respond, then frowned in confusion. "Not a no?"

"To spoilers."

"What-" Waverly finally giggled, lifting a hand to cover her mouth nervously.

Nicole pushed off bringing her palms together in feigned supplication. "I really didn't mean to kidnap you. You're not a captive, and you can laugh freely-"

Waverly finally laughed, making Nicole grin at her. "No! I just- This is surreal. I still can't believe I ran with you, Nicole Haught, out of my own signing. I-" She slouched, spread her fingers in front of her and made a face that was half grimace, half smile at Nicole. "I'm never impulsive."

"Yeah, running away with a stranger, Earp. Not very smart."

"But it's you!"

"It was my good looks, wasn't it?"

Waverly's cheeks burned with a blush. "You-!" She rolled her eyes, trying to slip into something close to infuriation but those _dimples_. She moved as if she was getting off the car, but she felt a hand on her arm stopping her.

"Hey, wait, come on." Nicole's eyes turned pleading. "I'm sorry."

Waverly mock glared at her, before settling back down. Maybe a little closer than before. She expelled a breath, ducking her head. "Mercedes is going to kill me."

"Well, I owe you, so…" Waverly looked up at that. "I can be your knight in shining armor."

Waverly rolled her eyes, unable to keep the smile off her face, crinkling the corners of her eyes. She was unaware of the hand that had lifted up to attempt and grab hers again, but pulled back at the last moment.

It was at that moment when they heard twin roars of engines, and they both turned at the arrival of Wynonna and Lexa, both in bikes and leather. They watched them both whip off their helmets, and Waverly had to sigh. There was bound to be some overdramatic threats happening in a bit.

"Oh. That was hot."

"Hey," Waverly reprimanded, swatting at Nicole's shoulder.

"Oh, Wave. I only have eyes for you."

This time, Waverly found her way to her feet before Nicole could stop her, and it was to keep Nicole from seeing how Waverly's cheeks had mimicked the color of Nicole's hair.

But neither of them had any time to compose themselves, before Wynonna was striding towards Doc, standing toe to toe with him, slowly advancing while she spoke, forcing Doc to step back with each step she took forward.

"What the hell is wrong with you stealing my baby sister?!"

"Wynonna!"

"You think you can just waltz in and take her and no one would be the wiser?!"

"Wynonna!"

Wynonna already had Doc by the collar, and she was visibly smaller. If the situation wasn't serious, it would have been comical.

"Wynonna." It was Lexa's voice that broke through, and she had to drag Wynonna back a step, forcing her to let go of Doc. "Driver," Lexa said pointing at the only guy in the group. She ignored the disgruntled "Hey!" and turned towards the tallest person among them. "She took Waverly."

Waverly was quick to step in front of Nicole, holding up her hands to placate her now advancing sister. She was thanful for Lexa who was hovering over her irate sister, ready to diffuse a fight if it came down to it. "Wait! Wynonna, will you calm down?"

"Calm down? You told me these events were quiet! Lexa's beefy guards couldn't even handle those paps back there. And you!" She turned on Nicole.

Instead of backing down, Nicole actually drew up her height, and she knew that only made Waverly's sister fume more. "I was only trying to help."

"So you dragged her out-?!"

"Waverly actually went willingly."

"I don't-" Wynonna turned to Lexa. "What?"

"I did." Waverly interjected, wanting this whole thing to be over. She barely did any running, but she was already exhausted. The anticipation of having the paparazzi follow was worse than what actually happened. Which was nothing. "I didn't know what was happening, ok, and at the time it seemed like Nicole was the only one who had a plan!"

"A plan? Neither of you had a plan."

"Well, what were you going to do? Start a brawl in that bookshop?"

"Waverly-

Nicole was suddenly in front of Waverly, forcing Wynonna to stand off with her. "Hey, now. Stop taking it out on your sister. It was my fault."

"Oh, there's plenty of fault to go around. You can take a number."

"I shouldn't-" Nicole spoke over Wynonna, her hand reaching backward and making contact with Waverly's arm, making sure she was behind her and out of the path of the wrath of one Wynonna Earp. "-have driven her off. But confrontation never works on the paps, so I had to get her out." She raised her hands in surrender. "I do apologize for driving her off. And for the vultures. They were there because of me."

Wynonna eyes widened in realization. "Because of-?!"

As if on cue, and with practiced ease that unnerved Nicole just a little bit, Waverly and Lexa both took an arm and started dragging a struggling Wynonna away. Waverly only had enough time to shout out a quick thank you to Nicole for the unwarranted rescue, before they all buckled down to the two motorcycles.

Nicole watched Wynonna make an impatient gesture at Waverly, and Waverly moved away to accept the extra helmet from the other woman, whom she still didn't know. She watched them straddle the unnamed woman's bike, then she tapped a hand over Waverly's leg, the gesture familiar. She felt her lips purse as the woman took hold of Waverly's hands on her hips, and pulled them across her stomach so Waverly's arms were tight around her.

Who was this chick?

Nicole was only slightly placated by the quick look she got from Waverly, followed by a small wave, then they were speeding away.

"They looked mighty close."

Nicole rolled her eyes, before turning back to her friend, who had wisely opted out of the confrontation that just happened. "Shut up."

"Now, is that how you treat the friend who was a willing participant to this shenanigans? I do not do this for just anyone, Nicole Haught." Doc flicked what was left of his cigarette away, giving Nicole a smile.

"Why do you insist on talking like this?"

"Wyatt rather likes it when we are in bed-"

Nicole slapped a hand over her friend's mouth. But then sighed and let go. "I am grateful. Thanks, Doc."

"An exhilarating end to my day. It was a pleasure, Miss Haught."

Nicole huffed out a laugh before slapping his back, leading the both of them back to his car and then home.

* * *

"I am not gonna be the reason Wynonna loses her shit again, Waverly," Lexa warned, giving Waverly's thigh a light affectionate tap, before pulling the younger woman's arms around her waist tight.

"I've never fallen off while riding with you," Waverly nearly whined, already tired. She looked up to look at Nicole through the tinted lenses of the extra helmet only Lexa had the presence of mind to bring while on pursuit of who Wynonna has started to call a fugitive. Waverly lifted a hand for a second, just to give a flimsy goodbye to her captor/savior of the day, before Lexa was admonishing her to keep her hands tight around her again. And then they were off.

It only took 30 minutes for them to get back to her and Wynonna's house, where thankfully Mercedes wasn't. She needed a while to settle her thoughts before she met up with her manager, who was sure to have some words for her. If this blew up and made it to the news somehow, as lowkey a writer as she was, Mercedes would have to work to fix up her mess, and Waverly would have to find a way to make it up to her.

Wynonna was thankfully silent when they arrived. But not the morning after.

Lexa and Clarke came in for brunch with the sisters, as was their thing on Saturdays. Clarke liked to think it was a constant reminded for the sisters to find people to settle down with soon. But neither Wynonna nor Waverly felt any pressure, because Clarke and Lexa were the rare couple who had gotten married right after high school and actually worked out.

The moment Wynonna entered the kitchen, last like usual, she was on Waverly's case.

"What the hell was that, Waverly, huh? You have a set of yoga toned guns and you didn't think to discourage that ginger poptart from taking you?"

"Calm down, Wy," Clarke muttered, as much as the opposite of a morning person as Wynonna is, but was married to someone who was. She was slumped, head tucked on to the shoulder of her wife, negotiating bites of a muffin she was too lazy to feed herself with.

"Calm down? Like we were all calm when we found out she was gone after those people trespassed the bookshop?" Wynonna took an aggressive bite of a chocolate chip pancake she was aware was cooked by her sister as a peace offering.

"It was hardly organized as a private event," Lexa reasoned, coaxing another bite for Clarke. "Security isn't as tight because we knew there were a lot of fans coming in. It's never been a problem before."

"Well, then it was your lack of foresight-"

"Woah." Clarke interjected, fully awake now, but still plastered to Lexa's side. "Calm the fuck down. No one anticipated whatever the hell it was that happened yesterday. Stop distributing blame, Wynonna. Waverly's fine."

" _Fine_. That could have been anyone."

"It wasn't." Waverly put another stack of pancakes on Wynonna's plate after the first stack disappeared, planning to soften her up with food. No one wanted Wynonna hangry. "She was really nice and she only took me to get me away. I'm really am fine."

Wynonna rolled her eyes, but then looked at her sister properly when she felt a hand over her hand that held her fork. She was still glaring, but it softened when her sister pouted at her. Worked when Waverly was two, and it still worked while Waverly was twenty-one.

"Was worried," Wynonna grumbled, before dropping a kiss to her sister's head, then going back to her pancakes.

Waverly took that as a tiny victory, having calmed Wynonna down for now. She moved to the sink to start washing the dishes she'd used to prepare breakfast. She was turning on the tap when she felt Clarke settle beside her, leaning back against the counter.

"You gave her your number, didn't you?"

Waverly's hand slipped over the pan she was holding up to the water, and both Lexa and Wynonna looked up at the noise. "Sorry." She quickly waved them off, and glared at Clarke when they've looked away.

Clarke only smirked cheekily at her. "You've had your eye on Haught for a while." Clarke shrugged, turning so their conversation remained private, under the guise of her helping. "And I know you, little Earp. Quiet, but you have the balls not to let an opportunity like that go away. You probably slipped your number into her pants somehow."

"Clarke!" Waverly hissed, nervously looking behind them. "Shut up."

Clarke hummed, wiping a glass dry. "Didn't you?"

It was quiet for a while, the pile of dishes dwindling. They accepted the last of the dishes from Lexa and Wynonna, who had opted to move to the living room. Waverly surreptitiously checked if they were occupied before mumbling her response to Clarke.

"Maybe."

Clarke raised an eyebrow, dropping her jaw in a mock scandalized expression. "Waverly Earp."

Waverly hip-checked her, trying to get her to keep quiet, but glad she had Clarke to talk about this with. "Shush."

"It was the dimples, wasn't it?"

Waverly pursed her lips tight to keep the smile off her face, but she blurted out, "And those collar bones."

Clarke laughed as she hip-checked Waverly back. "Oh, kinky." Waverly joined in her laughter, and let Clarke lead her to the living room.


	4. Here's to Being Brave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly slips Nicole something.

"That was cold." Shae watched Randy walk away after giving Shae a nod, but not a single look at Nicole. "What did you do?"

Nicole raised her eyebrows. "Why is it automatically my fault?"

Shae just gave her a look, running a hand down the lapels of the suit she was wearing. Photoshoots with Nicole Haught always involved more comfortable clothes. The biggest lesbian star in Hollywood picked her gigs, and this current one was one of Nicole's favorites. They were expected to pull large amounts of sales.

The fact hat Shae Pressman was Nicole Haught's rumored long-term on and off girlfriend, and also an ex-wife, would add at least 10% to the profits.

Nicole ran a careful finger through a lock of hair she was instructed was the only part of her hair she could fiddle with. "I should be offended."

"But you aren't because being a troublemaker makes you feel proud."

"I'm hardly a troublemaker."

Shae hummed, tilting her head to the side to eye the photographer who was setting up. "I should know the truth."

Nicole scoffed, but lifted a hand for Shae to take so she could lead her ex towards the chosen space.

They've done a couple of poses before Nicole spoke up next. "'Was about a girl." Her lips barely moved as they shifted around each other, so used to working with the other.

"I thought it would be." Shae adjusted so she was almost pressed close to Nicole, hand caressing the lapels of Nicole's own suit. They both saw a few flashes of light in their periphery before they were told they needed to change for the next outfit. "Randy was also most disagreeable when it came to me."

"That's because you broke my heart."

"Darling." Shae pressed an affectionate hand to Nicole lower back, their almost identical heights, making her meet Nicole's flat eyes. She would have felt bad if she didn't catch one of Nicole's tells.

"Damn, you're good." Nicole muttered, wrapping an arm around Shae's shoulders. She sighed as Shae's weight settled against her.

It was a familiar dance, one they've been playing before and after they were married. Their relationship was beneficial to both of their careers, so they fostered it. If casual and mutual seduction would make them a few thousand more dollars, they were both amenable to it. They were already flirty by nature anyway, and they were very comfortable with each other.

They changed, and when they met up again, they were both in long gowns. "You know me, S. When I see something I want-"

"Fuck waiting." Shae's voice was breathy, and anyone in earshot would think they were talking about something completely out of context. "I know."

They waited until the rest of the photoshoot was over, before speaking again. "Well, why are you waiting now?"

Nicole let Shay thread her arm through hers. It was a position you'd see most girl friends take, but the fact that they were exes would raise suspicion. And it would be good publicity for before they released the content of the latest photoshoot. "I’m not."

Shay hummed, smiling at a young girl who stared at her at little too long. She was used to the stares. In fact, she basked in it. "So you're just taking your time with this Earp girl?" She felt Nicole's biceps flex, pulling at her arm a little, and she tilted her head toward her companion, smirking. "What? My twitter followers mentioned her." She placed a graceful hand on the arm of the guard closer to her, a silent instruction to let a few people through so Nicole and her could sign autographs for a small group of people.

They smiled and greeted them, used to the routine. It took a few minutes, before they were once again surrounded by their guards, and they were on their way.

Nicole waited until the guards adjusted so they were afforded a few paces, the murmur of the crowd providing enough cover for the conversation. "So, there were pictures?"

"A few. From very small websites that people don't really pay attention to." Shay managed to make her shrug look elegant and nonchalant. "But a fan linked it to me when I did my Q&A. You were barely noticeable, but I'd recognize those dimples even when they're pixelated." Her smirk turned affectionate, before she added. "She's pretty."

Nicole looked away. She was a damn good actress, but it was still hard to hide a blush from a person she'd married, no matter how briefly. "Shut up."

"Juvenile."

Nicole's head snapped towards her, ready with a retort, but she saw Shay give her one of her most genuine smiles. And it was hard to stay annoyed at one of the only people in the industry who she could be completely herself with and it seemed was actually happy for her. She shook her head while she smiled back. "I hate you."

"Darling." Shay gave her arm a squeeze. "We both know you love me."

* * *

Waverly was sullenly scrolling through her private twitter account, clad in a long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants. She'd just cranked out three chapters of her latest book, and she told herself she only wanted to check her phone for two seconds for any official emails.

She was definitely not waiting for a text from a certain someone.

She found herself scrolling through Twitter instead, like the millenial that she was, and she deflated upon seeing the latest photos of Nicole with Shay Pressman. The woman was beautiful. She was tall, she had magical bronze skin, she was a model, and she had an Oscar.

And none of those were as relevant as the arm that was comfortably nestled in Nicole's as they walked the streets, smiling at fans and signing photographs of themselves, likely with pretty cursive handwriting.

Waverly bit off a large piece of the vegan cookie she was munching on, definitely not angrily because who can really bite off a piece of cookie angrily, and huffed as she exited the app. Only to reopen Twitter so she could keep scrolling through the Nicole Haught tag. She was mid-sigh when Clarke entered her room, and she almost dropped her phone in her hurry to hide it.

"H-hey. What's up?"

Clarke only raised an eyebrow. "Hey." She plucked the cookie from Waverly's hand, ignoring the protest, and replaced it with a carrot stick. "You're not allowed to mope. You _did_ slip your number in the most hidden place you could think of."

"I thought it was romantic!"

"It is," Clarke reassured her, swallowing the rest of the cookie, but grimacing at the taste. "If she finds it."

Waverly pouted, taking a bite off of the carrot stick she was given.

Clarke took pity on her. "But you know. If you're meant to be…"

Rolling her eyes, Waverly slid her laptop closed, done for the day. "Bring the rest of those carrot sticks here, please."

"I’m just saying-"

"You are not allowed to spout off wisdom when you ended up with your high school sweetheart with very little effort because fate or destiny or _whatever_ blessed you in this lifetime."

"I'm sure there are lifetimes when we don't end up together."

Waverly scoffed, pulling Clarke's laptop between them so they can start the Runaways marathon.

"When she's a warlord and I'm a princess-"

"WOW, shut _up_ , Clarke."

"Warlord or not, I bet she'd still be a bottom-"

"PLEASE."

Clarke's laughter actually pulled a reluctant smile from Waverly's lips and she tilted her head so she could rest it on Clarke's shoulder.

* * *

"You gotta talk to me some time."

Randy only grunted, before taking another sip of the whiskey he ordered. Nicole definitely knew that this was the only way to force him to talk to her. Free alcohol. It took two more glasses, before he was pliant enough.

"Next time you do this, Haught, I'm out."

Nicole nodded, knowing he was lying. If it was possible for her father to be reincarnated to be good while he was still alive, Randy Nedley was all Nicole had as a parental figure. She placed a hand on his arm to get him to look at her.

"Hey. I really am sorry." Nicole gave his arm a squeeze, trying to convey how sorry she was that it had all gone south despite how careful she and Doc were.

Randy grunted again. "You'd still have gone."

Nicole took back her hand to join her other, wrapped around her own glass, non-alcoholic. "I really wanted to meet her. Really."

Randy looked at her out of the corner of his eye, and Nicole caught the tiny eyeroll. He grumbled something she didn't quite catch, before he was sliding something in a paperbag along the bar counter towards her.

He stood up, apparently done with makeups, always uncomfortable with displays of feelings. "Chrissy's cooking dinner. Don't be late."

Nicole grinned, taking the olive branch. "I won't. I promise."

She watched Randy leave as she picked up the package he slid towards her. Then her heart hiccupped. She thought she'd lost it.

She almost tore through the paper trying to get to what's inside, and she'd never been so relieved to be given something she already owned.

After the mess that was them running away from the paparazzi, Nicole realized she'd left the very first book of Waverly's that she bought, also incidentally her favorite one. It was nonfiction and it was about struggling through Waverly's young life, and reflections she'd picked up watching her dysfunctional family break, putting herself through college by any means she found at the time and then finally succeeding. Nicole held on to it as a struggling actress years ago, with parents who didn't want her to pursue what she wanted to pursue, and no other family to support her.

She smiled when she flipped to the first page where Waverly had penned her name. She laughed upon reading the short message.

_Thanks for the rescue._

She shook her head, looking up towards the bar door, absentmindedly flipping through the book, inevitably reaching that one page she always came back to whenever she was feeling a little lost. She felt something underneath her fingertips while studying the couple who just entered, wondering if they were newly weds, the way they were wrapped tightly around one another.

She looked down to check what her fingers had hit, and felt the largest smile stretch her lips. "No way," she muttered to herself, blushing prettily to no one as she traced the borders of a post it note, placed strategically over a line that Nicole herself had highlighted. The same line was rewritten in Waverly's neat and loopy script, just how Nicole imagined her handwriting to be.

_Here's to being brave._

A number was scrawled just below it.

She bit her lower lip trying to school her features, wary of onlookers, but she didn't actually care.

Not when she just realized that Waverly Earp had given Nicole her phone number.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok i really need help with this plot thing, so if y'all have ideas just comment them. :)


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